How Planning for the Holidays the Week After Halloween Will Save Your Money and Your Sanity

It can be pretty maddening to see Christmas decorations on store shelves while you are shopping for Halloween candy. Even though we bemoan stores for pushing holidays on us too quickly, they might be on to something. So even though you just had trick-or-treaters at your door, taking a few extra steps the week after Halloween can actually save your sanity during the holidays and save you big bucks over the next few months.

Start an Easy Savings Plan Now- If the number of people on your holiday shopping list seems to be growing and growing and so is your credit card balance, start saving now with these tips. If you plan on buying most of your gifts from one store or online retailer, purchase a few gift cards from those stores and starting adding money to the gift cards each week. Another savings plan is to open up a separate checking account that directly takes money out of your other accounts so that you are automatically saving for your holiday purchases. When it's time to hit the stores, you'll be so happy you have money saved rather than coming up short or putting the purchases on your credit card.

Stock Up the Freezer and Pantry- If you already know the food and special treats you'll be eating and making over the holidays, start to stock up now. Many grocery stores are already putting out their seasonal foods and if you watch sales, you can save big now so the days leading up to your parties and dinners, you won't have to fight the grocery store crowds or pay full price. Be sure to clean out your pantry and spices too so that any staple ingredients you might need for cooking and baking are fresh and ready for use. Also, if you see sales on paper products and cleaning supplies, grab them too. When you have of guests over, you'll be happy you have extra toilet paper and products to clean.

Get a Jump on Holiday Cards- Sending out holiday cards should not be stressful, but if you wait too long to order, you're spending a fortune on shipping and then rushing to get the cards mailed in time. Before you get all wrapped up in the holiday buzz, plan your holidays cards now. You'll save your sanity and a lot of money because you can shop around for the best deals on cards.